Preamble
The Contracting Parties to this Convention, established under the auspices of the Customs Co-operation Council,
Desiring to facilitate international trade,
Desiring to facilitate the collection, comparison and analysis of statistics, in particular those on international trade,
Desiring to reduce the expense incurred by redescribing, reclassifying and recoding goods as they move from one classification system to another in the course of international trade and to facilitate the standardization of trade documentation and the transmission of data,
Considering that changes in technology and the patterns of international trade require extensive modifications to the Convention on Nomenclature for the Classification of Goods in Customs Tariffs, done at Brussels on 15 December 1950,
Considering also that the degree of detail required for Customs and statistical purposes by Governments and trade interests has increased far beyond that provided by the Nomenclature annexed to the above-mentioned Convention,
Considering the importance of accurate and comparable data for the purposes of international trade negotiations,
Considering that the Harmonized System is intended to be used for the purposes of freight tariffs and transport statistics of the various modes of transport,
Considering that the Harmonized System is intended to be incorporated into commercial commodity description and coding systems to the greatest extent possible,
Considering that the Harmonized System is intended to promote as close a correlation as possible between import and export trade statistics and production statistics,
Considering that a close correlation should be maintained between the Harmonized System and the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) of the United Nations,
Considering the desirability of meeting the aforementioned needs through a combined tariff/statistical nomenclature, suitable for use by the various interests concerned with international trade,
Considering the importance of ensuring that the Harmonized System is kept up-to-date in the light of changes in technology or in patterns of international trade,
Having taken into consideration the work accomplished in this sphere by the Harmonized System Committee set up by the Customs Co-operation Council,
Considering that while the above-mentioned Nomenclature Convention has proved an effective instrument in the attainment of some of these objectives, the best way to achieve the desired results in this respect is to conclude a new international Convention,
Have agreed as follows: